Young Professionals - cruelty against animals : more stringent regulations required

Charles Darwin, in his book “Origin of Species,” extolled the intelligence of animals, for instance how dogs or monkeys turn very territorial to protect themselves from external attacks. That’s nature’s laws. When it comes to humans and society, animals are dismissed as insignificant creatures.  

Munrajsingh Baichoo : “Our animal protection laws are phrased broadly” 

Advocacy groups and humanitarians have long argued for the rights of animals around the world, fighting for their rights as sentient creatures to a life free of torture and suffering, says Munrajsingh Baichoo. “Our animal protection laws are phrased broadly. Broad laws theoretically could lead to vigorous enforcement, but in Mauritius they don’t. Instead, law enforcement is overly cautious, leaving industries to self-police. Likewise, the reason why animal rights activists want animals to have rights is to prevent them from suffering unjustly. It remains a huge challenge in Mauritius, particularly due to the already forged mentality of many. To protect animals, Mauritius surely needs to pass more laws and implement new legislations.” 

Kheshini Budhna : “Barbarous acts towards animals should be condemned”

Kheshini Budhna explains that there should be more laws safeguarding animals from abuse in Mauritius. “Animals feel and suffer despite not being able to express themselves in words. The right to live and not to be exploited should be given legally to all beings across the island. It is of vital importance to have legal parameters for the protection of animals because Mauritius should not only be a paradise island for tourists, for its inhabitants but also for all creatures that it shelters. Barbarous acts towards animals from ill-treating to bashing and slaughtering should be condemned by the law. Owning pets should have statutory requirements while sterilizing stray animals should be free.”

Kaneeze Koherattee : “Laws not adequate” 

Around the years 2014/2015, Mauritius was in the spotlight for being the second-largest source, after China, for its exportation of monkeys intended to be used in cruel laboratory experiments to the UK and USA, states Kaneeze. It made headlines of articles reverberating in many countries. Yet in 2019, it is barely discussed. The question of whether ‘Mauritian laws protecting animal abuse’ arose, as the only piece of legislation addressing the issue of mishandling animals, is the ‘The Animal Welfare Act 2013’. 

She further explains that although the Mauritian legislature provides very detailed sections for the prevention of torture for animals in the country, it is simultaneously encouraging monkeys to be captured and sent to other countries where they are tortured, by allowing the farms to keep the active reproduction of these macaques. “The Government could alternatively solve their pest issue by opting for a less profit-motivated replacement solution. Instead of reproducing and mass importing the primates (a total of 8,245 in 2016), the sterilization of these animals could be a less barbaric substitution in eliminating the species. While the welfare of those macaques is an example of the issue, euthanizing dogs instead of sterilization and various more animal-related issues demonstrate the inadequate attempts of the local law to stop animal cruelty.” 

Hitesh Sinha Ramkhalawon : “Sentencing is too lenient in Mauritius” 

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2013, offences that can be committed are quite wide, ranging from torturing an animal to abandoning it, says Hitesh. “There are in fact 14 subsections dealing with the offences that can be committed against animals. The bottom line, however, is that these fail to act as a deterrent due to its extremely lenient sentencing guidelines. Whatever you do to an animal, you will be liable to a fine not exceeding Rs15,000 and to no more than six-month imprisonment. The current framework of the animal welfare laws of Mauritius is, as such, simply not strict enough.” 

Bhavya Prakash Luchmah : “No awareness is raised” 

Mauritius has been in the limelight for quite some time as our country condones animal cruelty, indicates Bhavya. “The act in question has explicitly mentioned the numerous offences and penalties in regard to animals. However, since no or little awareness is raised, people have the audacity today, to contravene the act by displaying brutality towards our animals. There should be a revision of the existing laws against animal cruelty and pet abandonment, in consultation with NGOs. Animals are sentient beings as well and have the same interests in living a life of happiness and void of pain, just as humans do.”

 Despite all, we still hold a light of hope for an improved treatment of our animals by Mauritians. “Most importantly, the people should be made aware of the law and consequences which follow such acts.”